Unfortunately, sleep was a little inconstant last night, just couldn’t quite fall into a deep sleep. However, I still felt relatively rested this morning. Took a nice hot shower which I’m sorry to say was hotter and with higher water pressure than my shower at home. Had a wonderful breakfast of quiche, fried potatoes and toast and retired to my room with a hot cup of coffee.
We crossed over the Mississippi about an hour ago with a beautiful shot of the St. Louis Arch shining in the sun (pictures to come). A few minutes into Illinois and I saw a very unusual hunting techniques. There were about three or four hunters lined up against the train tracks looking out across the thick grasses that lined the tracks. As we passed, the train scared up a flock, bevy, or what ever they are called of pheasants and the hunters blazed away. Quite a bit easier I guess that hiking through the thick grass. However, I do say that shotgun blasts outside your train window is a little unnerving. Something like waking up and finding yourself in a bad western.
Now, we are just leaving Alton where we had to stop for paramedics to pick up some poor woman who was in the middle of a massive anxiety attack. Now, the engineer is pushing us along at 82.5 miles an hour now on not so smooth tracks, so I know a little of how she felt. Nothing like the excitement of the train.